There are now more than 100 million Airbnb users registered on the platform. Out of these, almost 650,000 are hosts who have a whopping 2.3 million listings between them.
However, that’s not to say they’re all doing it right. So if you want your Airbnb to stand out from the crowd, get your booking calendar filled up and turn your property into a great source of income, you’d better ensure you stop making these five unforgivable errors!
1. Uploading low-quality photos
Given that, in many cases, Airbnb will send a professional photographer round to your place to capture its beauty for free – there is really no excusing the fact you have poor quality pictures on your Airbnb listing.
Before the photographer arrives, however, hosts are responsible for cleaning and staging their home to ensure it looks its best. That includes tidying away any clutter, tucking beds in neatly and wiping away any dust. And always remember: you only have one chance to make a first impression!
2. Overdoing your listing description
While it’s great to have a detailed listing that helps guests get a feel for your home before they reserve, writing too much (or worse, straying from the truth) can have a real negative effect on your bookings. Be honest about your listing and accurate with your amenities from the very beginning, and you won’t have any surprises when it comes to the reviews you receive!
3. Not having smart tools in place
Whether or not running an Airbnb is your full time job, you could save yourself plenty of time (not to mention, make your life far less complicated) when you invest in a few smart tools for your rental.
As well as increasingly popular smart locks and keyless entry systems, there are lots of tools that have popped up on the market as a result of the growing trend of using Airbnb. For example, a tool like Properly can help make cleaning your home between guests a breeze, whereas Party Squasher can warn hosts if a potential party is going on. If you’re apprehensive and always thinking in worst-case scenarios, smart tools like these can provide you real peace of mind.
4. Not asking for reviews
Guests who use Airbnb always check the reviews of any accommodation they’re thinking about staying in – fact. That’s why the more reviews you can collect, the better your business will look and in turn, the more bookings you’ll take. This is no time to be shy! Ask each and every guest you receive to write you a review. Not only can you write a great one back for your guests, but you’ll also be surprised how many will say yes! It’s so easy to build up your Airbnb reputation and rankings this way, but many owners make the mistake of not reminding their guests and fall behind their competition as a result.
5. Sticking to just one platform
As well as Airbnb, most rental owners will have heard of (or even already have adverts on) other listing sites like HomeAway, VRBO and TripAdvisor. Having presence across multiple sites like these is a great way to diversify your audience and get lots more inquiries coming in.
But what else can owners do to get more bookings? Creating your own professional vacation rental website is another effective way to drive more inquiries, and build your rental brand at the same time. Some guests are on the hunt for a bargain, so they’ll research extensively across the web before making their decision – comparing like-for-like listings across OTAs as they go. If they come across your own website and see they can make the same booking without paying any extra fees, you can bet that’s what they’ll do!
No matter how long you’ve been an Airbnb host, there is always more to learn about the platform and its best practices. But at least you can be sure you won’t make any of these grave Airbnb errors!
About the Author
Lodgify is an innovative vacation rental software solution for owners and managers looking to create their own professional website and manage their external listings from one centralized place. Lodgify’s website templates are 100% customizable, mobile-friendly and come with a fully functioning booking engine.
